When Dr. Brinkley got an unexpected break in his busy schedule, he decided to pay another visit to the shelter.
He found his sheepdog patient up and about. He was amazed at what a good night’s rest and the right drugs could accomplish.
Jared had already given up trying to bark out a message to the indifferent staff at the shelter. So, he was surprised when the man walked into the holding area and stopped just outside the cage that held him.
"You've definitely improved since yesterday," the vet remarked. He noticed that a fringe of fur fell over the dog's eyes, so he reached through the bars of the cage and brushed it out of the way. "You sure are a shaggy fellow..."
The vet looked over his shoulder and address the shelter’s director. “What’s he still doing caged? He should be in the display pens to increase his chances of getting adopted.”
Jared perked up. “Yes,” he thought excitedly. “Let me out of here!”
The harried director shrugged. “I’m backed up with paperwork here,” he said in response. “Besides, I told you, doc. No one wants a grown dog, especially one that size. They all want puppies.”
“Well, this is a special fellow,” the vet said. “He may surprise you.”
Jared woofed in agreement. “You wouldn’t believe the half of it!”
The doctor again patted Jared’s head. “We just have to find someone that wants a big, shaggy dog like…”
The vet halted in mid-sentence. Suddenly, the barely listened to conversation with the receptionist popped back into his thoughts.
When his receptionist informed him of a cancellation, he hadn’t questioned the fortunate timing. But now, something clicked. He focused and tried to remember the conversation.
"I just got off the phone with Mrs. Webster," the receptionist had told him. "She sounded quite upset. Their dog Shaggy disappeared last night."
With an audible gasp, he removed his phone and called his office. As soon as his receptionist picked up the phone, he asked without any formalities the name of the client with the missing dog.
He waited, looking down at the caged sheepdog, as his receptionist looked up the requested information.
"Mr. and Mrs. Bill Webster," the woman said. "Mr. Webster's a president of the local bank."
Jared’s sensitive hearing picked up the voice of the woman on the vet’s phone and recognized the name of his parents immediately.
"Do you happen to know the breed of their dog?"
"I can look it up in the files," the receptionist said. "Give me one moment."
“It’s me,” Jared barked in excitement. “I’m the dog!”
“Hush, boy,” the doctor said in an off-hand manner so he could hear his receptionist.
Jared felt compelled to wait, silently, impatiently, as he eavesdropped on the conversation.
The vet looked down at the sheepdog. "I may be a step closer to solving your mystery, boy," he said.
Jared picked up the female voice on the vet’s phone the instant she spoke. “The Websters own an English sheepdog,” she said.
Jared whimpered and started wagging his rump.
“Do you have a phone number for the Websters?” Dr. Brinkley asked. “You are not going to believe this, but I think I have found their missing dog."
Jared heard the woman give the vet his father’s number. He couldn’t believe his luck! He was going to get sprung! He was heading home!
As the doctor dialed the number provided him, he scratched the sheepdog behind its ears. "What a piece of luck, eh boy?"
“You’re telling me!” Jared thought.
His dad’s secretary screened most of his calls, but when Dr. Brinkley introduced himself she put his call through to her boss.
"Mr. Webster, this is Lance Brinkley," he opened.
Jared whimpered softly and waited for the familiar voice.
"Dr. Brinkley, this is a surprise," Bill Webster said. "Did you not receive my wife's call? It's the damnedest thing, but Shaggy vanished yesterday."
"Yes, so I've been told," the vet responded. “This is an incredible coincidence, but I am standing at the holding pens at the local animal shelter. "I think I've found your missing pooch," the vet announced.
“It’s me, dad!” Jared barked in defiance of the command to be silent.
“Can you hear him?” The vet asked after Jared’s barking intruded onto the call.
“”How did he end up at the pound?” Mr. Webster asked.
The veterinarian explained that the sheepdog had been hit by a car.
"Is he all right?"
“I’m fine, dad,” Jared barked. “Come get me!”
The vet laughed, but said in a firm voice, “Quiet, boy!”
This time, Jared whimpered but felt that he had no choice other than to cease barking.
"He was very lucky," the vet answered.
"Thank god," Bill Webster said. "My youngest son's very attached to that dog."
“He’s fine. He just had a bad bump,” the doctor reassured Mr. Webster. "Oh, by the way? What was I seeing Shaggy for?"
Bill Webster cleared his throat and Jared listened uncomfortably as his father explained that his mother wife had insisted on having him fixed.
In his excitement, Jared had almost forgotten the reason he had run away from home in the first place.
"Well, if that's all, I can go ahead with the scheduled procedure," the vet said. "I perform the procedure here at the shelter quite frequently, so they have everything I'll need. You can come by after work later this evening, signs some papers with the shelter staff, and take Shaggy home with you."
“No!” Jared barked and tried to push against the door of the cage.
The doctor laughed and gave the sheepdog an odd look. “Hmmm, I don’t think your dog cares for the idea,” the vet said.
“Yeah, to be honest I’m not that keen on it, but you’d have to know my wife,” Jared’s dad explained. “She can be very single-minded.”
“No!” Jared barked, ignoring again the command to stay quiet at the prospect of being forced to undergo the emasculating procedure. “Dad, you can’t let them do that to me!”
The doctor hesitated. “It’s your call, Mr. Webster.”
Jared waited, praying hard that his dad wouldn’t give the go-ahead for the doctor to remove his balls.